Disclaimer

KraftGeek sent me their GlowRing Foldable Ring Light & Tripod to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinion. I do get a kickback if you pick up the GlowRing from the official KraftGeek website or on Amazon through my affiliate links. Use offer code JOSE at checkout if you’re buying directly from KraftGeek for 10% off your purchase.

Table of Contents

Box Opening

Features

KraftGeek has released the most portable and convenient ring light you will ever need. Whether you are using it for content creation or simply need better lighting for your next big shoot, the KraftGeek wireless GlowRing is exactly what you need.

Convenient

The GlowRing features a sleek and sturdy design that is ready to hit the road with you. It folds up small enough to fit into your travel bag, and light enough (about 2 lbs) that you won’t even notice it is there. The durable material give you the peace of mind you need so you can focus on your next big shot. Best of all, assembly is incredibly easy, so you can be up and running when you need it the most.

Reliable

The strong magnetic ring attachment makes securing your phone incredibly easy. You won’t have to fiddle with clamps or attachments. Just attach and go! The magnet is strong enough to hold an iPhone Pro max in its sturdy case securely through normal use (although it feels sturdy enough to survive a few accidental jolts as well). The tripod legs give the whole setup the sturdy reliability you need, especially if you’re using an expensive phone to shoot with.

Lighting

The KraftGeek GlowRing gives users a customizable lighting experience, so you are always working with the perfect light. GlowRing has three different lighting modes: cool, neutral, and warm. Each mode has 10 brightness levels for the perfect amount of customization. Whether you need a little drama or depth in your next shot, the KraftGeek GlowRing promises to offer exactly that!

Now if you’re not convinced with how lighting affects a picture, here is the same image with each of the three light modes:

The Angles

The GlowRing makes sure you always have the perfect shot. The arm extends from 26 inches to 76 inches tall. The magnetic phone mount swivels 360 degrees, and it tiles to 180. You can even fold up the tripod legs to use as selfie stick! If you can’t find the right shot with this generous amount of customization, you shouldn’t be in content creation.

Wireless

Best of all, the GlowRing is entirely wireless. Featuring an impressive 5000 mAh battery, you won’t have to worry about searching for the nearest outlet, or whether you have enough cable to get the shot. All you need to do is pull the GlowRing out of your bag, set it up, and get rolling. Depending on the intensity of the light, you’re getting up to 10 hours of use. What more can you want from your wireless ring light?

Review

I am just an average dad trying to get by, and don’t do much of the content creation grind (outside of my writing). I do have a cheap ring light that I use for my keyboard unboxings, but I didn’t know how terrible that was until I got my hands on the GlowRing. This piece of equipment has been the upgrade to my setup that I didn’t know I needed. In seconds, I was able to find a better angle where it took me months with my older lamp. The GlowRing is sturdy, clean, and the perfect upgrade for any one trying to take a better picture or shoot a better video.

Quality

The GlowRing came neatly and securely packaged. My mailman likes to play soccer with my packages, but I didn’t notice any damage to the box or the GlowRing. Everything insides was neatly packaged and secure, which is great news for anyone ordering a light source. I am very impressed with the quality of the GlowRing. Everything is properly machined, and all the moving parts seem to work out of the box. I was able to extend and set up everything without issue. When a company skimps on their quality, parts don’t fit properly, or the moving parts break or don’t move properly. This isn’t the case with KraftGeek, at least from my testing. I moved each part a lot and I wasn’t gentle.

When compared to the old ring light I was using, the GlowRing blows it out of the water. My old lamp was fine. It did its job adequately and the quality is fine, but after a year of use, it is already falling apart. The wire is starting to fail and the button was starting to peel. Worst of all, the part that holds the phone was starting to fail, which meant I had a lot of unnecessary reshoots. The moving parts on the GlowRing may fail somewhere down the line, but by then, I would have gotten my money’s worth.

Assembly

You will need to assemble the GlowRing out of the box, but the assembly isn’t difficult. You don’t have to be a trained carpenter or engineer because you are literally just screwing on the light to the tripod. Everything unfolds easily, and you activate the tripod with a press of the button. I was up and running with the perfect angle in a minute. This is a huge shift from my last lamp which I was always fighting with before every shot (even reshoots). If you need a tool that is ready to support your fast-paced lifestyle, the GlowRing is ready!

Stability

I had no issues with the GlowRing’s stability. Once I set up the tripod, it did not move. Sure if someone bumps into it, it’s taking a tumble, but you’re getting the steadiest shot the rest of the time. I am not worried about the GlowRing tipping over, nor am I worried about the magnet dropping my phone. The magnet is strong enough to survive some sturdy shakes, but I wouldn’t go waving it around like a crazy person. Your miliage may vary, but it held my iPhone 17 Pro max very well.

Again, this is a huge shift from my old lamp because it barely supported the weight of my phone. Every shot was a race against the strength of the arm because it would randomly give out and ruin my video. The setup also wasn’t very sturdy. I had to balance books and other heavy things to get the perfect angle, and I honestly never got one. If I didn’t put enough weight or accidentally brushed it, the whole thing came down. There were a lot of unnecessary reshoots. Luckily, I have the GlowRing now, and I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I’ll keep my old lamp as a secondary light, but it isn’t going to be my main source moving forward.

Lighting

The lighting is amazing. You get three light modes, and scaling intensity for each. I do like this customization for future shoots, but I only played with the brightest setting. If you are trying to get into content creation, or if you just want to take better pictures, you’re going to need good lighting. It does not get any easier than the GlowRing for the reasons I’ve mentioned above. Most importantly, you’re getting good, reliable light that you can match with the mood of your composition. Just look at how light affects these two pictures I took:

Both pictures are taken from the same angle, the only difference is the GlowRing. The picture with just the room light (left) feels so flat and grey. I did edit these as much as I could, but you can’t edit the drama and depth you get by simply adding light with the GlowRing. Even if you aren’t using it for content creation, why wouldn’t you want the tool that will help you take better pictures.

My Experience

When I got my old ring light, it was partly for the videos, but mostly it as to take pictures of my two year old. As most parents can understand, I am obsessed with taking pictures of my two year old. It’s why I have an iPhone and why I bought an expensive camera. After using the GlowRing for my week, I can’t go back. This thing is incredibly convenient, and it has already improved the quality of my work. I was able to find a far better setup for my unboxings in seconds, where I am still looking for a good one with my old lamp. Don’t believe me, here is my latest unboxing for the Redragon Eisa Pro as a comparison. Unfortunately, I can’t redo the unboxing for the GlowRing without having a second GlowRing.

Most importantly, I have already taken some incredible pictures of my daughter. I can’t show you those pictures because I don’t feel comfortable posting my daughter, but I am very excited for all the Christmas shoots I am about to have. I am sure she’s going to hate it.

I knew I loved the GlowLight after I took my first picture. After the easy setup, I was playing around with the features and took a a a couple of photos with my daughter. In one take, I got one of my favorite pictures of us, and I wasn’t even trying to take a good picture. Lighting makes a huge different, and if you have kids, you need something like this to capture those precious moments (even if it feels a little extra). All I know is, her album is about to be amazing, and it is all thanks to KraftGeek.

Conclusion

If you are looking for ring light, your search is over. KraftGeek’s GlowRing is the only light you’ll ever need. It is sturdy, compact, and convenient. The wireless design gives you freedom, and the 5000 mAh battery gives you the piece of mind. At the highest setting cool setting I got around 2 hours, which was more than enough for my needs. You can always connect it if you need it for longer.

You can pick up the GlowRing on the official KraftGeek website (use discount code JOSE at checkout for 10% off), or on Amazon through my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you use either of these links.

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Annihilated.. to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my reviews for the Epomaker QK108, the Redragon Antonium K745 Pro, and the adorable KiiBOOM Meow Pudding keycaps. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. The Huanuo Nitroglide dual monitor arm is also pretty cool.

Make sure you check out the free ways you can support me, like using my Amazon affiliate link before you buy anything. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee! Don’t forget to share this review with your friends!

Table of Contents

What is Annihilated

Annihilated is a dark fantasy visual novel with a deck battling roguelike built around it. It does deal with a few dark topics like death and demons, so this is your content warning. There is a demo available that you should definitely try, but honestly, Annihilated should already be in your library.

Hook

The world crumbles under the weight of the Demon King’s merciless grasp. His forces spread his despair across the planet, and there is no one left on the surface who can keep them back. You an your party enter the depths of the dungeon in search of any magical item to help turn the tides. But this venture proves too difficult. You watch as the last of your party dies in front of you. You are forced to travel the cave alone, but just as the despair begins to set in, you stumble across the hero’s party. Or what’s left of them.

The hero’s party was a legendary group that was destined to save the world, but here they sit in the depths, broken. Each of the members of the hero’s party has a strange affliction.

• The Hero has lost his voice
• The Mage has lost her magic
• The Warrior has lost his powerful body
• The Priest has lost her faith?

If you want to get out alive, you must only choose one of the members to take with you. Each has its unique set of stregth and weaknesses, and each choice you make from here on will affect the ending. What will you uncover? Where will your story end? can you make it out and save the world, or will you get lost in the darkness?

Gameplay

Annihilated is a unique visual novel with a deckbuilding roguelike rpg built around it. The story does offer players choices throughout the journey that affect the story, so choose carefully (although the game is generous enough with the saves). The dungeon delve is your standard roguelike format. Players will chose from a collection of nodes as they make their way through each leg of the dungeon. Each node has a unique encounter such as combat, harder combat, random encounter, a shop, and a spot to heal. All of this builds up to a boss fight.

What makes Annihilated unique is that players can buy upgrades at death. Players can buy stat points as well as passive abilities to help them in their next delve.

Combat

Combat in this game is basic. To perform an action, players choose from a collection of cards they pick up throughout the dungeon. To actually cast the ability, players have to stop the sliding meter at the perfect spot. It isn’t too complicated, and it makes the game a bit more engaging.

It is important to note that weapons and items you add to your deck can break, and breaking is a good thing. Breaking will kill your enemies faster, but you also lose access to the weapon in the future. It is important to know when to use and break weapons if you want to make it through the dungeon (and collect all the endings). As you travel, you will also pick up upgrades for these items. You can make it easier to crit or easier to hit for example. What makes the game unique is that it gives players the option to keep cards you like at the end of each run instead of having them start over. It makes the game feel less repetitive, but I am mostly in it for the story.

Does it work on the Steam Deck?

This game is fantastic on the Steam Deck! It doesn’t take too much memory, which is awesome because I have one. I know I can easily upgrade the memory, but I don’t have the money to do that. For now, I’ll just keep shuffling around the games I want to play. As for the game itself, it runs great. It is mostly a visual novel, so that shouldn’t be a surprised. I like that the game doesn’t make the fan go crazy, nor does it kill the battery. What I like is that the font is easy to read. As I get older, I find it harder and harder to read text on the Steam Deck, and there are a few games that I can’t read without the magnifying glass. I had no issues with Annihilated, and I appreciate any game that gives me an excuse to whip it out. If you are looking for a good book to read on the Steam Deck, go get Annihilated.

Review

Annihilated is a fantastic story that you should be reading. It is a little dark, but I wouldn’t call it horrifying. It isn’t Berserk. The game has a fun and fitting artstyle, with memorable characters and a story that I simply couldn’t put down. The gameplay is simple, but it was fun enough for me to not mind it. This game is a unique and much needed twist to the genre. I did my first run, and I am ready to finish the rest.

Aesthetic

What drew me first to the game is the art. I’ve you’ve been with me long, you know I have a soft spot for pixel art, and Annihilated hits that sweet spot with its art. The monsters are memorable and recognizable, and the characters look very good. I am a huge fan of the mage character, but everything looks real good. I like the rough cartoon style that is adorable without distracting from the story’s dark undertones. Mostly, I like the cute mage girl that was the whole reason I chose to review the game, but the story and gameplay were the reason I stayed.

The style reminds me of games like Nobody Nowhere and Afterlove Ep, which have been some of my favorite visual novels to date. Just be prepared to be a little sad when you play through them. Nobody Nowhere is a replicant (a blank vessil used to hold human consciousness) who gains consciousness. His creators plan to rip his consciousness out of his body, but there are still people left on this planet who consider him human enough to save. Afterlove Ep is about a musician who processes grief through his musical journey. Definitely worth reading after you get through Annihilated.

Gameplay

The gameplay is fine. I do like the action rpg style of combat. It reminds me of the combat in Sea of Stars, and I freaking loved that game. You can turn off this style of combat if you prefer a more traditional turn-based style combat, but I suggest you try it for your first play through. I feel like it makes the game more engaging. What I like most is the unique twist the Annihilated brings to the card battlers.

I play a lot of these games, and they do start to blend together after a while. Annihilated stands out because it has that cool durability mechanic that made me slow down and think about my choices. Constantly having to choose which weapons and items to use, break, and upgrade made the delve engaging enough that I didn’t mind the grind or repetition. If you like deck builders, it isn’t the deepest or most impressive, but its good enough to get you to the end of the story. The story is the real reason you play this game.

Story

I may have came to this game for the cute mage girl I was going to guide out of the dungeon, but I stayed because the story is really good. It is the right amount of dark without being needlessly disturbing, and it exists in a world I wanted to explore. The characters are well written, and the translation is solid. Sometimes with these games, I find the translations to be a little awkward, but I didn’t notice anything worth mentioning. This is a solid story that was hard to put down, and now I must find time to read the rest of the paths. Make sure you save often.

Conclusion

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I loved Annihilated. It is the story I didn’t know I needed, and one that I will recommend to everyone moving forward. It has cool art, solid gameplay, and a story that is worth the full price of admission. If you enjoy visual novels and don’t mind a little roguelike in between, you can’t go wrong with Annihilated. You can pick up the full version on Steam, but at the very least, check out the demo. If you’re looking for something with a lighter tone and beautiful art (especially if my previous recomendations make you sad) check out Harmony: The Fall of Reverie.

Trailer

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Grim Siege to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. This review is only based on the solo experience. I did not try multiplayer.

Shameless Self Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my reviews for the Epomaker QK108, the Redragon Antonium K745 Pro, and the adorable KiiBOOM Meow Pudding keycaps. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. The Huanuo Nitroglide dual monitor arm is also pretty cool.

Make sure you check out the free ways you can support me, like using my Amazon affiliate link before you buy anything. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee! Don’t forget to share this review with your friends!

Table of Contents

What is Grim Siege?

Grim Siege is a dark fantasy themed card battler where players use their forces to break down their opponents towers. The game uses an innovative resource system, with an interesting enough loop for those who enjoy card games but want to break way from the big three.

Hook

Gather resources to build your army, strengthen your defenses, and raise your tower. Use your resources wisely as you race to knock down your opponents tower before you’re crumbles to the ground. Players can enjoy a creative roguelike experience, face off against the computer AI, or face off against other players in ranked or normal battles. There are six classes to choose from and thousands of combos to discover, will you find the one to take you to the top?

Players can face off against AI through bot matches or a roguelike adventure, but there is pvp through ranked and unranked matches. I did not try pvp because I wasn’t smart enough to be the AI on easy, but that is a skill issue.

Gameplay

The game is a bit complicated, at least too complicated for a filthy casual like myself. I will dumb it down a bit, but the game has a comprehensive tutorial you can play through.

Players use three unique resources to cast cards each turn: stone, blood, and slaves. Stone is used for defense like building up their wall. Blood is used to cast magic or building up your tower. Slaves are used to do damage on your opponents tower. Both players start with a tower and wall at certain hit points. They each take turns casting cards to build up their defenses, heal, or make an attack. The first tower to go down, loses. Each class has its unique strategy for winning the game, giving players access to a few different play styles. Whether you want to be aggressive, or sacrifice your health for more power, you’ll find a class that best fits your attitude.

The game is like a village management game. Players are forced to navigate their economy as they build their assault. Players can easily wreck their economy, leaving themselves defenseless. They can also take too long and get steamrolled by a more competent AI. The key is finding the balance between building, attacking, and hoarding, but I was never able to find it. I lost to the AI on normal, but that is strictly a skill issue. If you enjoy village building strategy games, the mechanics are tight enough to let you cook something interesting. I

Review

I appreciate that Grim Siege is a fresh take on the genre. The game offers a unique gameplay loop, even if I am not smart enough to figure out how to win. I’ll be sticking to Pokemon TCG for now. If you are looking for a new kind of roguelike, and don’t a little roughness (or the use of AI), you might want to check it out. Just note that the game is a little dense with its nuanced mechanics.

Aesthetic

I am not to crazy about the artstyle for this game. There is a disclaimer about AI being used to help with some of the art. I am not sure to what extent it was used because the game is too dark to tell what is going on. There are some interesting themes that go into each class, but there isn’t anything that really stands out. This is coming from someone that collects anime girl tcgs, so there might be a bit of bias. Art is also expensive, so I don’t expect it to be on par with something that comes from a bigger, better funded developer. I am sure with a bit more funding, the game will start looking a little better.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not a snob about art. I enjoy playing Universus TCG and that game doesn’t have the most collectible art. But if someone is scrolling through Steam for a new game to play, the art isn’t going to pull enough attention to spark curiosity. Maybe a future set can make the game look more pretty, but for now, the only draw seems to be the gameplay.

Gameplay

The gameplay loop is fine, but there seems to be some balancing issues. Take this with a grain of salt because as a reminder, I couldn’t beat the AI on the easiest difficulty. That said, there are a few classes that are easier to play than others (as is true for all card games). There are classes that feel stronger than others, but there are also some interactions that just didn’t work. The game needs a bit more rebalancing and a few more patches, but the Dev is hard at work and I’ll commend them on that. There is even a place in the UI for players to add their suggestions.

When the game works, the loop is fine. It is a refreshing break from the usual deckbuilders I’m starting to burn out on, but I am too much of a casual to get into a game like this. There was simply too much reading. Now if you enjoy these management style strategy tames where you build an army and lay siege on your enemies, you will have a better time. For the most part, game is in a good enough place to let players explore new strategies and do some cool things. At least the AI was able to always pull the sick combos that left me extremely frustrated with my inability to understand this game.The game still needs some work, but with a little support, it might get there. Or at least get to a good enough place to be worth your money.

Personally, I would rather play Solforge Fusion, and I didn’t really like that game.

Conclusion

Grim Siege is going free to play, so there’s nothing to lose. It is rough, but hopefully the influx of new players can help shape it for the better. Personally, it wasn’t for me, but I am not afraid to admit that I simply am not smart enough. For all you compitent intellectuals out there, you might have a better time. That said, you have to keep in mind that there is a general roughness that you’ll have to struggle through. I am sure with a bit of money, the game will fill its niche nicely, its just a matter of growing. If you are looking for a unique new card game and don’t mind a little AI, go check it out. Its going to be free soon.

You can pick up Grim Siege on Steam.

Trailer

Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of The Fame Game II: LA Heartbreaker to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my reviews for the Epomaker QK108, the Redragon Antonium K745 Pro, and the adorable KiiBOOM Meow Pudding keycaps. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. The Huanuo Nitroglide dual monitor arm is also pretty cool.

Make sure you check out the free ways you can support me, like using my Amazon affiliate link before you buy anything. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee! Don’t forget to share this review with your friends!

Table of Contents

What is The Fame Game II?

The Fame Game II is a romance (harem) FMV out now on steam. Although this is a standalone sequel, you might want to start off with the first game in the series. More on that later.

Hook

You have moved to America to study something and make your family proud, but fate has other plans. You find yourself in a car accident that changes your life, but it is unclear in which direction. Inside the other car? A princess from a powerful family (possibly criminal), and the woman who will be your wife. You discover that you are identical to a rich playboy, and now you must take his place for a little financial aid. Suddenly, you find yourself surrounded by beautiful women who all want to be with you. Can you navigate the murky waters of relationships and find your true love, or will you end up heartbroken and alone? At least you’ll get some tuition.

Gameplay

The Fame Game II is a pretty restricted FMV. For those uninitiated, an FMV is basically a movie where the player can determine the ending based on their choices throughout the game. In these romance games, the goal is to collect girlfriends. Other games like Love too Easily will have more impactful choices. You can’t rewind until you get an ending, and there aren’t many clues. In The Fame Game I, choices mattered a little less, but it was harder to get the perfect ending. In the Fame Game II, it doesn’t really matter. The game gives you clues between each chapter so you can get the ending you want with your favorite girl. Perfect for the fellow gooner who doesn’t want to work for the perfect ending, but a little pointless for those who enjoy the strategy.

The Girls

Ayaka (the best girl) is your fiance who is also from a crime family, but can she be your real wife after this charade?

Li Sisi is an exgirlfriend who finds her way back into your life. She is the only one who knows the real you, but will that be enough to win your heart?

Camille is a model who loves drama and isn’t afraid to fight for your heart. But will her efforts be too much drama?

Mia is the young master’s personal assistant. She can’t tolerate a man’s touch. When man touches her, she feels so much pain that it causes her to faint. Can your touch fix her?

Claudia is your step sister, but maybe she can be more?

Review

I enjoyed The Fame Game II because it was a cheesy and outlandish story, but I am someone who enjoys watching bad movies for fun. It reminds me of the good old days when bad movies weren’t a huge waste of time. Back before the Kissing Booth movies broke me and made me give up on reviewing movies in general. That said, I find this game hard to recommend for the lack of quality that went into it. Clearly all of the money went into the goon bait, but there isn’t enough fan service for it to be worth it. Especially when you compare it to something like Island of Hearts. That game also features a ridiculous story, beautiful woman who can’t act, but enough fan service to make up for it.

Quality

Quality in the sequel takes a noticeable drop from the original. The scenes used to showcase how beautiful the girls are where most of the quality went into. The rest of the FMV is a roller coaster of quality as it inconsistently shifts between the same scene. Let me split this up into its sections:

Acting

I don’t expect grammy level acting from these games, but that is part of the charm. The girls did their best, and some are better than others. You can quickly tell who has the most experience, and unfortunately, Zhong Chenyao couldn’t carry it all on her own. It isn’t the worst acting I’ve seen, but you can tell there are girls in this game that were put there to just look pretty. Some were clearly reading from a prompter, and there wasn’t enough money for reshoots. There are a lot of wrong words, fumbles, but they did the best with what they were given (which wasn’t much).

Sound

The sound mixing in this game is terrible. There are bits of dialogue that sounds muffled, others that sound crisp and clear, and others that sound very far. There is also some strange distortion that happens which has me suspect that they might have used an AI sound mixer, but didn’t have it in the budget to check their work. It is very jarring, especially when it happens within the same conversation. The Fame Game I may not be a master piece, but at least the levels were better.

Special Effects

There is a bit of special effects and transitions in this game that are clearly AI. It looks really bad and makes the game feel cheap, especially when you get those high quality fan service shots of the girls that shortly follow. If there were an example of why someone shouldn’t use AI, even if they can’t afford real editors, The Fame Game II is a good example.

Story

The story for the Fame Game II is ridiculous and it doesn’t make sense. This is your traditional harem anime formula, but the girls are all over the place. Everyone is okay with you spending time with the other girls, they all become friends because reasons, and the backstories get a little crazy. Most players aren’t playing this game for the plot, but for the few that do, you aren’t going to like it.

The game is incredibly cheesy, and I would argue most of these games are to some extent, but at least the plot made more sense in the first game. Here it feels like you are being pushed from one cute girl scene to the next, and they are making it up as they go along. I’ll probably forget I watched this, but at least I had fun. Plus I got the ending I wanted.

If you want an FMV with a better story, check out Roomates, Romance, and Ringing Hearts or my personal favorite, Love too Easily.

Conclusion

I am a little mixed on this game if I am being completely honest. On one hand, the story is goofy and it exactly like the bad movies I love to watch. On the other, you could be playing something else. I would start off with the first game if you want a better story, or move onto anything else unless you don’t mind spending $12 on a bad movie you’ll only play once. On the plus side, you get to the perfect ending with minimal effort, and there might be enough fan service to make it worth the price tag. The only real reason to get the sequel is if you like one of the girls, and there is no shame in that. There were over 200,000 people who voted for the cast, so there might be some inflation on how the internet perseveres the game. Personally I think its fine, I enjoyed watching through it, but I wouldn’t buy it unless it went on sale.

Trailer

Disclaimer

I was sent the Chess of the Hidden Gates demo to review for my blog. I am very grateful and understand that the game isn’t finished. That said, this will be my honest first impressions.

Shameless Self Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my reviews for the Epomaker QK108, the Redragon Antonium K745 Pro, and the adorable KiiBOOM Meow Pudding keycaps. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. The Huanuo Nitroglide dual monitor arm is also pretty cool.

Make sure you check out the free ways you can support me, like using my Amazon affiliate link before you buy anything. It really helps me out if you do. You can also always buy me coffee! Don’t forget to share this review with your friends!

Table of Contents

What is Chess of the Hidden Gates?

Chess of the Hidden Gates is a unique deckbuilding roguelike that you play on a chess board. The game releases sometime in the fourth quarter, but there is a demo you should try. The game does use AI, but I didn’t catch it before playing. Do with that as you may. I’ll do better research next time.

Hook

You are playing an impossible game that has had no winner for thousands of years. You take control of one of the unique pieces (horse master, pawn commander, cannon adept), and fight your way through waves of enemies in board game style turn-based strategy. Only the horse master is available in the demo, which means you’re jumping around throwing spears at everything. Players must use their skills, abilities, and board control to win the game. Do you have what it takes to finally end this thousand year game, or will you be another lost pawn?

Gameplay

Chess of the Hidden Gates uses deck building mechanics to create a unique, tabletop war game experience. All players start with a basic deck of skills and abilities that they edit throughout their run. Card are found at random across the journey, and the randomness promises unique decks for each run. You will restarting a lot (unless you’re actually good at these kinds of games).

Combat in this game is turn based strategy where players cast cards to use abilities. Players have a finite amount of skill points that they can use per turn to cast spells, move, or perform attacks. Enemy attacks are telegraphed, so use that to gain the strategic advantage. The level ends when all enemies are defeated, or the player dies.

Impressions

I got this game because it reminded me of the board game, Onitama. I love that game but have no one to play with. This was meant to be the solo version of Onitama, but the result was unremarkable. Chess of the Hidden Gates plays fine, but it doesn’t have a clear identity. Demeo, a game that also emulates the tabletop experience, just does it better. Whether you like strategy games or are looking for a new deck builder, you have better options.

Aesthetic

There is a disclaimer about how the game uses AI to create its assets. It does not pay off. None of the art is memorable, and all the dull browns make it hard to sit for. The pieces don’t look good, as polished as they may seem. For as much lore as the game pretends to have, the world feels generic. Don’t get me wrong. While I do appreciate games with good art, and even pick games for their art, I give all games the same chance. If the gameplay is fun, it really doesn’t matter what the game looks like. Unfortunately, the game isn’t very fun. It makes it harder to love when I just came from Dog in the Machine, which had terrific art and better gameplay.

Gameplay

Here’s the thing. Chess of the Hidden Gates run smoothly without any adjustments. The game is native windowed mode, and clicking out minimizes, but I never hit a game breaking bug during my playthrough. The problem is, the combat isn’t anything special, especially when you compare it something like Demeo. I like how it emulates boardgames, but there is nothing to set this game apart from the rest of the genre.

On one hand, there is enough strategy to keep things somewhat engaging. On the other, you could be playing Dog in the Machine or Deified instead. I understand the game is still in development, and maybe it will get better, but in its current state, it just feels like a cash grab. I would skip this one.

Conclusion

Chess of the Hidden Gates may have a few interesting ideas, but the execution isn’t great. The world is ugly, without any memorable piece of art (it all feels like AI) to create those tangible connections to keep us playing. The gameplay is fine, especially if you’re a fan of board games, but you have better options. Go check out something like Demeo or Dark Quest 4 instead. Maybe I’ll try the full version when it releases, but I’ll probably forget I played the demo by then.

Trailer